Gasoline gauge



Oct. 27 1925.

1,558,452 E. H. BARBE GASOLINE GAUGE Filed Jan. 6, 1922 A TTORNEY.

Pefe'nte'doef. 27, 1925.

LUNITED STATES EDGAR H. BARBIE, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

GASO'LINE GAUGE.

Application led January 6, 1922. Serial No. 527,467.

To all whom t may conce/rn Be it known that I, EDGAR IPI. BARBE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York 5 and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gasoline Gauges, yof which the following is a specification.

` The invention relates in general to a float controlled indicator mechanism of general application and specifically relates to a means for indicating at a remote station'the amount or level of liquid in a liquid containing receptacle such as the fuel tank in an automotive vehicle.

In general theprimary object'of the in, vention when considered in its specific relation to its use on a vehicle, is to provide a simple, accurate, easily readable indicator which can be mounted on the instrument board of the vehicle, and which will function independently of any jarring or vibration from the vehicle and without necessity of any charging with operating power, or

in fact without any -attention whatsoever on the part of the operator.

The inventionfeatures a float controlled mechanism disposed in position to be actuated by the change in liquid level of the liquid to beindicated, a remote indicator station with suitable indicator-mechanism, and a fluid containing conduit therebetween, connected at on'e end to the float'mechanism to cause the same to actuate the fluid and connected at the other end to the indicator mechanism to control the same by the movement of the fluid.

In such constructions, and especially where the liquid receptacle has a large horizontal area compared to its depth the fall of liquid level per volumetric discharge from the receptacle is relatively small and it isusually necessary to include multiplying gears or the like in the indicator to obtain the required large range of indicator pointer movement. This adds to the cost of the in dicator and introduces an objectionable frictional resistance tothe desired easeof move# 'ment and quickresponsiveness of the indicator pointer to small changes in volume of the receptacle contents.

Accordingly, another object of the inveni l een ie te provide in eaeee e aireee uuid drive between the float control mechanismev and the indicator, which drive will attain the desired multiplication in indicator pointer movement and without the necessity of interposing friction creating mechanism.

I attain this phase of the -invention by causing the float to actuate a iston in a relatively large diametered cylin er forming one end of the iuid conduit and causing a piston in a relatively small diametered cylinder at the other end of the conduit to act practically ina direct mannner on the indicator pointer.

lVhen such indicators are mounted on a movable support such as a vehicle, the jarring of the saine, the swaying of the liquid in the receptacle, the inertia of the movable parts and other known factors all contribute to anr-unsteadiness of the indicator pointer lin its movement over its coacting diei.

l The present invention has for another ob- ]ect the providing of dampening means for steadying the movement of the indicator over its dial so that it will not be influenced by any factor present except the actual lowering of liquid in the receptacle.

This phase of the invention is attained in two ways, first by interposing a resistance to the free flow of fluid in the connecting conduit and second by driving through a spring and inertially controlled fly wheel secured to the indicator pointer.

Stili another object of the invention considered in its applicability to a fuel supplying system is to provide means for indicating on one dia-l and by means of a single simplified instrument the consumption of fuel per unit lof time. I

This object is attained by combining with the indicator hereinbefore discussed, a clock with the hands thereof coact-ing with a clock face shown on the dial and ldisposed in such close juxtaposition to the fuel indicator that both the clock readings and the fuel consumption vreadings can be seen at the same time.

Further featuring a construction which will be self-containedand.which may be actuated without power particularly applied for thisy purpose, the invention features a clock construction which may be wound by the incidentai movement of the float controlled mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a dial and an indicator pointer therefor, which will clearly designate by a visual alarm the approach of an empty condition in the tank and-another object in connection with the dial feature is to provide a simple form of adjustable numerals tion and combination of WFi movable about the periphery of the dial so that the device may be readily adjustable to fit different size receptacles or tanks.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will 'be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will'be more fully set forth in the followingl particular description of one form'of mechanism embodying my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construcparts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 coact to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the portion of the device which is intended to be mounted on and in the receptacle or tank containing the liquid-to be measured;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the portion of the device which forms the indicating station and which is Ishown with certain' parts broken away to show internal constructions; and

re 3 is van enlar ed horizontal sectiona view taken throng the indicator station and taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

In the following description and 1n the claims, parts will be identified by specific names or convenience of expression but they are intended to be as generic in their application similar parts as the art will permlt In vgeneral the device includes a closed fluid containing conduit comprisin a ipiston cylinder 10 at one end actuatedgby oat controlled mechanism 11 in thetank 12 containing the liquid to be measured andfa similar.. piston c linder 13 at the other end for actuating. t e indicator 14' and which cylinders are connected by the necessary e cylinder 10 is of relatively large ini j. ternal cross-section, depends from a to plate 16 of a cylindrical casing 17 whic .15 rests upon a thread mounte The exposed end of the piston is secured to a movable plate 22 `vconstituting the lower endof an accordion like member 23 whichacco'rdionis aixedvat itsl upger end to an `outstanding flange 2A exten ng from the side of the c linder 10. The piston 21 .is provided wit 'an L-shaped by-pass liquld gement with the4 conductin assa eway 24 whichplaces the interior o te cy inder in fluid communication with the interior of the accordion and at the same time offers a restriction to any free flow of the fluid past the piston. The piston is provided with a stem 25 which has a rack 26 formed on one side thereof and designed to mesh with a pinion 27 fixed to a shaft 28 journalled in the lower portion of the casing 17. The shaft is' rotated by a float controlled construction comprisin a gear 31 secured to the shaft 28 and meshing with a worm 32' formed on a shaft 33 journalled in the casing 17 A chain 34 is passed over a s rocket 35 mounted on the shaft 33. The c lain is rovided at one end with a ioat 36 and at t e other end giath a counterbalancin weight 37 .l It will lmderstood that t e lowering of the liquid level in the tank 12 will cause the-floats to pull the piston downwardly and against the restraining action of both the accordion 23.

and of the resistance caused by thej'luid flow through the constricted passageway 24. The corresponding part of the uid conduit at the opposite` end in the indicator is similar to the cylinder parts thus described, exce tl that in lthis case the cylinder 13 is o relatively small internal diameter and its piston 38 fittin therein is correspondingly smaller than tie diameter of the 4piston 21. B thisconstruction it will be a preciated t at a small movement of the piston 21, due to a small fall in' liquid level of the liquid bei measured will effect a relatively greater li ing' movement of the piston 38 and thus'provide a multiplying action between the two pistons. The s'tem 39 dependin from the piston 13 is provided with a rac 40 whichl is in con stant mesh with a pinion 41 forming part of --a` rotary member 42 journalled for free rotar movement in the indicator casing 43. n the specific form of the invention il lustrated in Figure 3 the member 42 is loosely mounted u n an hour rhand ca in shaft 44 of a ock mechanism 45 contain in' the casing 43. The member 42 is pro- .vided at its frontend with a laterally extending lever 46 which is connected through a coiled driving s lring 47 with a rotary damper 48 in the orm of a,heavy rimmed fiy-.wheel loosely mounted upon the shaft 44. The fly-wheel is provided with a forwardly extending hub 49 journalled in a laol face of the casing 43. The numeral vcarriers are designed to be secured in position by a retaining ring 53 which is in screw threaded engagement with the casing 43 aS pressible annular washer 54 to secure the numeral carriers in any desired reset position. The dial is provided wit a clock face 56. The numerals when in presetposition indicate some characteristic of the liquid in the tank, such for instance, as the number of gallons used or remaining in the tank, or the linear depth of the liquid used or remaining in the tank. The dial is provided between the clock face and the scale with an opening 58. The outer end of the hub 49 is provided with anindicator pointer 59 which points to the scale 57 formed by the numerals 51. The pointer is .preferably of some color contrasting to the `color of the face of the dial so that'it may be readily seen. The pointer is provided with a curved extension 60 which is flexible and extends through the opening 58 in the dial. This extension, is likewise colored preferably red and it is apparent by this construction that when the pointer is in -the position adjacent the character 6 on the scale, all ofthe extension, hereinafter referred to as a notice impelling member is hid back of the dial, and that as the pointer advances -towards and past the position shown in Figure 2, more and more of themember 60 will be exposed across the face of the dial; When the exposed part of the red circle disappears the operator knows that the tank is empty and other alarming condition is present. 4.

The clock mechanism includes a long hour hand shaft 61 which extends from l front to rear of the indicator and which provides a support for the long tube constituting the minutev hand shaft 44. The

y hour hand shaft is provided in advance of the dial with an hour hand 62 and similarly the minute hand shaft is provided with a minute hand 63 both coacting with the clock face'56 to provide a conventional form of clock dial at the front of the indicator.

'Ihe forward end of the shaft v61 is pro- 'vided with a clock resetting button 64 by means of which the clock can be reset in the manner well known in connection with conventional forms of clock constructions.

The shaftY 61 is provided immediately in hrear of the button 64 with a rotatable hub 65 loosely mounted on the shaft and in turn providing means for securing the center of a glassplate 66. The plate is secured at nut 68 constituting the outer end o the hub i its periphery to the outer yend of the retaining ring 53, which thusy provides a mounting` lrmg for the' glass lcover. The hub is provided with a settmg hand 67 which is designed to be rotated from the exterior of the casing by means of a thumb 65. T he vconstruction is arranged so that the hand 67 `may be rotated about the scale f IHOVB 57 so as to indicate the start orinish of some prescribed movement of; the indicator" pointer 59. y

The present` disclosure features an arran ement whereby the clock may be Wound by t e movement in one direction'of the pist'on stem 39. In order to e'ect this purpose the member 42 includes a ratchet 69 which works through a pawl 70 carried on one side of a spring winding ratchet 71 to wind the clock spring 72. It is understood nfrom the showing in the upper part of Figure 3 that the clock 45 is of conventional'form and novelty is not predicted upon this part of the disclosure.

ln operation and assuming that there is a fluid, suoli as water or glycerine in the conduit formed by the cylinders 10, 13 and the connecting tube 15; that thereA is a fall of level in the liquid contained in the tank 12; that the indicator pointer 59 is at the character 17 on the scale, then the device is ready for operation. level in the tank will pull the piston 21 downwardly from its initial position adjacent the top of the cylinder 10 thus causing the same to draw liquid by a suction effect through the tube 15 and out .of the cylinder 13 and the accordion associated with the cylinder 13. The fluid will be drawn into the accordion 23 through the restricted passagemovement due to the tendency of the pas-Y sageway in the piston 38 to resist any/rapid lifting movement. The upward movement of the stem 39 will act through-the pinion 41 to swing the lever 46 over an arc ot movement' limited by the possible arc of movementof the indicator pointer. The lever in turn will tend to act through the flexible driving connection provided by the spring 47 to turn the fly-wheel 48Y with a slow regular ent., The turning of the fly-wheel will cause the indicator pointer afiixed there- -to to -move from a preceding numeral in the scale towards the next succeeding character,

The .fall of liquid way or bleeder 24 which will thus act to resuch for instance, as 0 about the scale 57 p may be set at any desired position and note taken of the lapsed time necessary for the indicator pointerto reach the preset hand.

At the same time it willl be understood that the' lifting movement of thestem 39 will act through the one-waydriving connection provided by-gthe pawl and ratchet connection 69, 70, to 'wind the-clock and when once set the manual adjustment of the hour shaft, the clock needs no further attention.

It is further obvious that the act of refilling the tank l2 will cause the floats to kact positively on the stem to elevate the piston 21 and this in turn will force the piston 38 to its lowermost position and restore the indicator pointer automatically to its initial position. t

Should it be desired to change the space relation of the numeral carriers and thus adjust the scale 57 so as to have some` different position relativ'e to the pointer,the outer retaining ring 53 is rotated so as to loosen binding effect on the gasket, after which the carriers may be shifted into the desired position andv the parts reassembled into set position as disclosed 'in Figure 3.

'20 i closed it is possible to obtain accurate readlngs wh1ch are controlled ent-irel By means of a device of the character disby the liquid level and are independent o pressure 1. 'In a dev-ice. of the class described, tlie combmation of a cylinder havin an open end," a plunger slidabl mounted 1n the cyll .inder and extending t erefrom, an expansible member' between the cylinder and plunr and enclosingA the open end of the cylmder, means for placing the interior of the cylinder inv fluid communication with the interiorof said member, a float -controlled ,mechanism operatively connected to the plunger to 'move the same outwardly from the cylinder and atl the same time expand' the member on a change of the liquid level controlling said mechanism, a. fluid in said cylinder actuated by the piston and mechanism actuated'by the moving fluid.`

2. In a device of the class described, the\ y i combination lof a pair ,of cylinders with unequal internal diameters, a conduit conn-ecting the cylinders, plungers fitted 1n said cylinders, a fluid in the Vconduit and between the pistons mechanism for moving one 'of the plun rs and an indicator operatively connect to the other plunger tobe actuated by the movement thereof at a rate different from the movement `of the mechanism actuated piston. k

3. In a tank indicator, the combination cfu two closedreceptacles each including a piston cylinder, a. conduit connecting the same,

Having thus` described my invention, I

pistons workin kin said cylinders, a Huid confinedin sai receptacles, cylinders and conduit, means for moving one of the istons thereby to cause it to draw the flui from the other cylinder and receptacle and indi'- inder at the op osite end having a relatively small interna-l iameter, istons fitted in said cylinders, a float contro led mechanism operatively connected to the larger diameter-ed piston to cause the same to move with a fall in the liquid'level of liquid controlling the float mechanism, and an indicator operatively connected to the smaller diametered piston whereb the movement of the level fall is multip 'ed atthe indicator by the more rapid movement of the smaller diametered piston.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fluid containing conduit, a float controlled mechanism at one end for moving the fluid in the conduit, a plunger at the otherend of the conduit actuated by theI i fluid and having a greater ratio of movement than the float controlled mechanism,l

and an indicator pointer operativel 'connected to the plunger to be actuated y the movement thereof.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fluid containing conduit including a cylinder, a -piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, an expansible member and said piston .being provided 'with a restricted fluid conducting passageway between the conduit and said member bypassing the piston.

7. In a device of the combination with a fluid containin cylinder having -an open end, an accor ionenclosing said open end, a piston secured to a movable part of the accordion vand slidably mounted in said cylinder. v

las

class described, the i I8. In a device of the class described, thel combination with a fluid containin anopen end, an accor ion enclosing said open end, a piston secured to a movable part 0f the accordion and slidably mounted 1n said cylinder and said piston being provided with a fluid conducting bypass extending therethrough and placin the c linder in fluid communication wit the 1nterior of the accordion.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a. fluid containing cylinv*der having anopen end, an vaccordion enclosing said open end, a, `piston secured to a movable part of the accordion and slidably mounted 1n said cylinder and mechanism including a rack and pinion power transmission operatively connected to the piston.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a fluid containing cylinder having an open end, an accordion enclosing said open end, a piston secured to a movable part of the accordion and slidably mounted in said cylinder, mechanism including a rack and pinion power transmission operatively connected to the piston, a lever driven from the pinion, an indicator pointer and a spring drive between the lever and pointer.

l1. In a device of the. class described, the combination with a fluid containing cylinder having an open end, an accordion enclosing said open end, av piston secured to a movable part of the accordion and slidably mounted in said cylinder, mechanism including a rack and pinion power transmission operatively connected to the piston, a lever driven from the pinion, a pointer controlling flywheel and a spring drive between the lever and the flywheel.

1Q. In a device of the class described, the combination of a float controlled mechanism including a fluid actuated piston, an indicator mechanism including a pointer and a llexible driving connection between the piston and the indicator mechanism, said driving mechanism capable of transmitting the movement of the piston to the pointer while 'dampening out irregularities in the movement of the iloat controlled mechanism.

13. In -an indicator, the combination of a pointer mechanism mounted for rotary movement, and including an i-nertially controlled member, a fluid actuatedA piston, and a coiled spring constituting a flexible driving connection between the piston and said inertially controlled member.

14. In an indicator, the combination of a supporting shaft, lan indicator controlling flywheel loose on said shaft, a lever loose on said shaft, a flexible driving connection between the lever and flywheel and loat controlling mechanism operatively connected to said lever to rotate the same.

15. In a means for indicating a change in liquid level per unit of time, the combination of a combined indicator and clock dial, a clock including an hour hand shaft and a minute hand shaft telescoping one into the other and extending through theV dial, hands on said shafts coacting with the clock element of the dial, an indicator pointer loosely mounted on the outer of the clock shafts and coacting with the liquid indicating element of the dial, and float controlled means for actuating said indicator.

pointer loosely mounted on the outer of the e clock shafts and coacting with the liquid indicating element of the dial, float controlled means for actuating said indicator and a setting' hand coacting with the dial..

17. In a tank indicator the combination of a float controlled mechanism, an indicator mechanism including a single dial provided with a clock face, and with a scale indicating certain characteristics of the liquid governing the actuation of the float mechanism, a clock including hands coacting with the clock face, and kan indicator pointer controlled by `said float mechanisml and coacting with the scale on the dial.

1S. In a tank indicator, the combination in one instrument of a clock, a.fuel indicator, a single dial coacting with the indicator pointer and with the clock hands and float controlled means for actuating the indicator and thus causing the pointer to move about the dial.

19. In a tank indicator, the combination in one instrument of a clock, a fuel indicator, a single dial coacting with the indicator pointer and with the clock hands, float controlled means for actuating the Vindicator and thus causing the pointer to move about the dial and a manually set hand coacting withthe dial to indicate a set position thereon which may be the start or finish of an indicator pointer movement at some period of time.

20. In a tank indicator, the combination of a float controlled mechanism, an indicator mechanism actuated thereby, a clock kand a, clock winding mechanism therefor driven from said float controlled mechanism.

21. In avdevice of the class described, the combination of a clock, an indicating mechanism and a float controlled mechanism operatively connected to the clock to wind the same and also connect-ed to the indicator mechanism to be controlled by the level of the liquid controlling said float mechanism.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 29th day of Dec. A. D. 1921.

EDGAR H. BARBIE. 

